About High Levels of Testerone in Women

Most generally associate testosterone, which is a hormone, and is sometimes referred to as an androgen, with men. Testosterone is what makes men look and sound like men: their deep voices, hair on their face and muscles. However, women also have it and need it. Testosterone levels in women may have a lot to with their sex drive, or lack thereof, although some medical experts dispute that.

Puberty and Onward

• According to Mike Westerdal of Criticalbench.com, testosterone levels in women vary according to their age. A girl who has not yet gone through puberty will have very low levels. However, when the adrenal glands start producing the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) during puberty, a girl's testosterone level will begin to rise.

The Ups and Downs

• A woman who is middle-aged and peri-menopausal, nearing the end of her menstrual life, will have higher testosterone levels than she did before puberty but perhaps not as much as she had in her 20s and 30s. Testosterone levels decline gradually with age but don't bottom out, or shouldn't, as do estrogen and progesterone when a woman moves through peri-menopause into menopause, according to the Jean Hailes Foundation. Of course, peri-menopause is a helter-skelter time for the hormones. Estrogen, although eventually diminishing, may rise too high as can testosterone. When hormones are too high or too low and out of sync with their hormone buddies this is when a woman will exhibit physical symptoms. The symptoms vary, depending on which hormone is making trouble for her.

Too Much

• Sometimes testosterone does not diminish in a woman and rather becomes too high. When this happens, a woman may experience hair loss, deepening of the voice, acne, growth of facial and body hair and increased aggression. If you are experiencing these changes and think your testosterone level may be too high, consult with your physician. According to Criticalbench.com, some labs consider "70" to be the normal testosterone range for women. Your testosterone level can be determined by a specific test.

PCOS

• If a woman suffers from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), high levels of insulin will stimulate the ovaries to produce large amounts of testosterone, according to Pcos.insulitelabs.com. When this happens, it makes it impossible for the ovaries to release an egg, which leads to infertility.

Heart Disease

• In a study conducted by Dr. Anne R. Cappola, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, regarding the connection between testosterone and heart disease, it was determined that women with the highest testosterone levels were three times more likely to have heart disease than those women with lower levels. However, it was also discovered that women with very low levels of testosterone were at a higher risk of developing heart disease than those women who were in the mid range.

Conclusion

• Having testosterone in the body is necessary for a woman and her health. However, if she doesn't have enough, or has too much, it will be problematic.